1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for producing an ink jet recording head that generates recording liquid droplets, used in ink jet recording systems.
2. Related Background Art
Ink jet recording heads used in ink jet recording systems (liquid jet recording systems) commonly comprise fine recording liquid discharge openings (orifices), liquid flow paths, a plurality of liquid discharge energy generators (hereinafter also "ink discharge pressure generating elements") provided at part of the liquid flow paths, and ink feed openings through which ink is fed. In the case of ink jet recording heads mounted to color printers, ink jet recording heads corresponding to respective colors are mounted in number identical to necessary colors so that they correspond in a one-color one-head fashion.
With such constitution, however, it is difficult to make recording apparatus compact, and the ink jet recording heads require a high production cost, resulting in a high production cost for the recording apparatus. As a countermeasure for such problems, an ink jet recording head is proposed which can discharge inks corresponding to a plurality of colors in one head. The head of this type is constituted of ink discharge openings, ink flow paths and ink feed openings which are independently assigned to the respective colors and provided in one head (one support or substrate), where the sections for respective colors inside the head are, e.g., sealed with a sealing medium so that the colors of adjoining inks having different colors can be prevented from mixing.
The ink jet recording head is comprised of a substrate (internally provided with ink feed openings) and some support bonded to the substrate for the purposes of, e.g., communication with an external ink feed system and hold of the substrate. Here, when a flat-platelike substrate and the support are bonded with an adhesive, it has been necessary to strictly control the manner of coating the adhesive, the viscosity of the adhesive and so forth so that the adhesive does not flow into the ink feed openings to cause faulty ink feeding. Also, the support must be bonded to the substrate under accurate registration (positional adjustment) so as not to cause inhibition of ink feeding.
This has not been so much questioned when the head is constituted of a one-color head, but is estimated to be controllable with difficulty when one head is constituted so as to enable discharge of multiple color inks or when the head is made compact to become minute and finer.